“Bismillah (In the name of God)”
What is contentment?
Contentment is defined in the Oxford language dictionary, as being in “a state of happiness and satisfaction.” Here, we see that contentment is not about a moment but rather about the sense of your person.
What is happiness?
In the Cambridge dictionary, happiness is defined as;” the feeling of being happy.”
So, the question is; can you be happy without contentment? My answer is “YES!”
Why you asked?
Contentment is a continuous state that moves you to be, to give, to do, to express and it showers you with happiness and satisfaction while happiness is a feeling that lasts only a moment.
What is the difference between contentment and happiness?
Let’s take a deeper look at these two words. After teaching early childhood students as a PRE-K teacher for many years, I decided that I wanted to leave the small conversations, singing and dancing and teach older children and do serious work.
So, I took a job as a second and third grade teacher. I was very happy when I got the job . When I entered my classroom, I could feel happiness oozing out of my pores. It was a big room on the second floor, It had many windows and lots of books. Then, the school year began. September was okay because I was setting up the classroom, work on the classroom routines and getting to know the students. As we progressed into mid-October, there was a lot of work that needed to be done. The students did not want to work that much. My excitement died and my happiness was replaced with stress, worry and dissatisfaction.
Teaching gives me feelings that cannot be expressed with words. After that failure, I decide to become a substitute teacher to figure out what went wrong. To my surprise, nothing had changed in my heart. I was happy to be there and excited to see what each day brings. I went back to being a PRE-K teacher while subbing in the higher grades from time to time. As a pre-K teacher, what I realized sitting in my class is the feeling of joy that takes over my body. Presenting and teaching my lessons through singing, dancing, drawing, pictures or small conversations is very exciting. However the satisfaction of observing my students’ progress and growth from where they were in September crying, screaming or kicking; to January Hold a crayon, not ripping or throwing the books during independent reading time, following class routines without tears from anyone, to June performing for their parents in the moving-up ceremony, accepting their certificate with confidence and a smile gives me so much pleasure to have been part of the transformation that had incurred during the year.
When I got the job as a 2nd and 3rd grade teacher, I was very happy. However, as I started to work, my happiness did not last long because the challenges that I faced took over any good feelings that I had. Contentment gives me the strength to overcome all difficulties and helps me fulfill my mission in education which is to provide my students with a strong educational foundation that will help them to learn in school, in the world and become lifelong learners.
Happiness is a feeling that lasts a short time. Contentment is a state of being that makes you feel happy and satisfied regardless of your circumstance. Everything comes from God. So, ask Him for guidance and contentment in your life.
“Surely as for those who believe and do good work, We do not waste the reward of him who does a good work.) Surah 18 vs. 30
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